My car along with me is down on the Costa Del Sol at the moment, and I suspect that I have a problem with the rear suspension.

The poor roads down here have highlighted an issue with the NSR suspension. On poor road surfaces the tyre is hitting the inner wheel arch on undulations in the road surface. Only this side is affected, the other side has no problem even though a rear seat passenger is also sitting on this side. The passenger side has nobody sitting on it, yet even today with no luggage its happened a couple of times. I want to get it sorted if possible before coming back to the uk, if only to avoid damaging the tyre even more or even more damage to suspension/bearings.

So is the cause likely to be the shock absorber becoming weak or something else. Car has 76K on the clock and is 4 years old in september.

I have found the Skoda dealer in Marbella, but would like to go in knowing what I might expect to need fixing. Lingo is no problem as my dad speaks fluent spanish.

Sounds like you need 2 new rear shockers (dont even think about replacing just one).

Fit good quality gas shockers and the car will be transformed.....

Could be, my mate Adam has just had a shock replaced under warrenty, he had to pay for the other side to be done at the same time.

Hope you get it sorted ok.

surely the shock absorber does just that - ie absorb the shock - and excessive travel in the suspension is more likely to be worn springs (or one worn spring)

As a temporary fix, have you tried those "spring assisters" they sell in Halfrauds?

Have you visually checked the ride height from side to side to make sure it's equal? (and out of interest, have you ever used the car for towing, as that tends to put more strain on the springs...)

Good luck!

If the wheel is actually making contact with the arch liner Manny, isn't this more likely to be spring related? The shock being there to absorb vibration etc, and keep body control in check?

If the spring is doing its job correctly, the wheel should never have cause to hit the liner. If the shock was primarily to blame, I'd expect the ride to be uncomfortable and for handling to be affected, but not for wheel movement to be at the extent of what you're reporting. A correctly operating spring should stop this from happening....

Steve

Yep, sounds like a broken spring (or a broken spring seat) to me.

No, its much more likely a weak shocker. When a shocker fails, it just goes all wimpy. A correctly working shock resists sudden movement. A failed shock is extremely dangerous as it allows full uncontrolled movement of the suspension. You will find out if you take a series of tight fast bends - it will be very hairy - you might even lose control of the car.

Springs dont "wear", they just break (into 2 pieces). Rear spring breakage is almost unheard of , the front springs can break usually because of twisting forces from sticking strut bearings when steering.

No, its much more likely a weak shocker. When a shocker fails, it just goes all wimpy. A correctly working shock resists sudden movement. A failed shock is extremely dangerous as it allows full uncontrolled movement of the suspension. You will find out if you take a series of tight fast bends - it will be very hairy - you might even lose control of the car.

Springs dont "wear", they just break (into 2 pieces). Rear spring breakage is almost unheard of , the front springs can break usually because of twisting forces from sticking strut bearings when steering.

Well; its got to be springs or shocks or BOTH.

Springs can and will break; a friend had an Astra that he would regularly (over)load up with logs - a rear spring broke! This is the easiest to check of course as the spring is in either one or two pieces.

As for the shocks they could well have gone! 76,000 miles in 4 years is not an unreasonable time for them to last (I had, a few years ago, to replace rear shocks on my Fabia sooner than this). Fully loaded on Spanish roads is probably the 'straw that broke the camel's back' on them.

Either way, whatever you replace do it as a pair (not individual) and you might even use the opportunity to get uprated (vRS) shocks fitted rather than 'standard'.

Hope you get it sorted and it doesn't ruin you holiday.

it does sound like to me that your shock absorber is past its best,always replace in pairs,a broken rear spring is possible,ive had a few cars to repair recently with broken rear springs.vauxhalls,peugeots & a golf recently! have you done the old "bounce test" on the rear of the car? you may even see fluid all around the shock absorber if its failed.

No, its much more likely a weak shocker. When a shocker fails, it just goes all wimpy. A correctly working shock resists sudden movement. A failed shock is extremely dangerous as it allows full uncontrolled movement of the suspension. You will find out if you take a series of tight fast bends - it will be very hairy - you might even lose control of the car.

Springs dont "wear", they just break (into 2 pieces). Rear spring breakage is almost unheard of , the front springs can break usually because of twisting forces from sticking strut bearings when steering.

Sorry, but I have to disagree (well I'm not sorry actually;))

Springs DO wear - if you constantly overload them, they sag, and become softer.

And I've seenplenty of broken rear springs - where do you generally overload your car? Answer: the boot. (paving slabs, bricks, rubble, engines, etc - or is this just me)

And when you tow a caravan, trailer or boat, where does the extra weight sit?

A: over the rear wheels (unless your trailer is perfectly balanced of course)

I'd be interested to hear what the garage find... keep us posted!!

I'd say it's more likely the bump stop that's integrated with the rear suspension has failed. Check to see if there is still the rubber collar over the top of the rear damper.

I'd say it's more likely the bump stop that's integrated with the rear suspension has failed. Check to see if there is still the rubber collar over the top of the rear damper.

Good suggestion; the bump stops had disintegrated at the time I had my Fabia's shocks changed.

However; I guess Mannyo will have had his car looked at by now and will be reporting back soon.

Well coming late to the party I'll put it in as my guess on what it was

Well

I should be able to report more on Monday.

The Skoda main agent in Marbella (http://www.safamar.com/) Master Tech had a quick look at the car on wednesday and couldnt really see anything wrong with the suspension, so they are changing both rear shock absorbers (parts prices and labour rates much cheaper here than UK) on the assumption that one although it looks ok maybe worn inside.

They are also replacing the NSF CV boot as pointed out in my last service and doing a full 4WA on the car. Whilst all this is done I'll have a courtesy car provided so we dont loose out on any of the holiday before returning to the UK. I think the courtesy cars they use are Furby Mk2's so I'll get a chance to sample one of those.

Sounds like a good result Manny

Hope that sorts out the issue for you.

Steve

Sorry, not been online for a while, paying for the internet abroad is a problem.

The dealer in Marbella did the job on Monday as requested, the rear end damping seems far better now but on the run up to france where I am now I had the same problem with the tyre/arch on that side but not as bad.

They replaced the broken CV boot and also did the 4WA, rear alignment was still well within tollerances despite the car being nearly 4 years old and it never being touched before, and the front was only slightly out.

Courtesy car they provided was a Fabia MK2 1.9TDI, in a nice shade of green.

Could the problem be related to your 'new' 18" wheels/tyres?

Can you remind us of the details e.g. offset, rim width, tyre size.

I have this issue, but im running eibach 30mm springs on a 132k car.

Plus the guys that did the 4WA didn't do too great of a job, the NSR does stick out a little further than the OSR. Once the springs had settled going around roundabouts or over bumpy roads would allow my 18's to kiss the arch liner.

Although its stopped doing it recently, but i've taken a smoother and calmer route to work.

Wheel details

18x8J

ET42

PCD 5x112

The tyres are slightly wide at 235mm but the issue only occurs on this single side, I now think its the arch liner at fault.

Wheel details

18x8J

ET42

PCD 5x112

The tyres are slightly wide at 235mm but the issue only occurs on this single side, I now think its the arch liner at fault.

Your tyres are 235/40 18 I guess, which will not only be wider but also have a slightly larger rolling radius than the 225/40 18 you should have, taking up any 'free play' you may have had.

However, if the rubbing is on one side only the wheel arch liner sounds a reasonable bet; you should find scuff marks on it, I would guess.